Travel from Tokyo to Tashiro

Hi there!

I will be making a trip with my friends to Tokyo early next year and was planning to make a day trip down to Tashiro Island off of Ishinomaki. I did my own research and was able to come up with directions. Along the way certain questions popped up based on problems I encountered during the planning and through my previous other trips to Japan. I have a few questions I would like to ask:

JR East Pass
Previously there was a 7 day pass for 28,000 yen which I purchased previously - now it is a 5 day pass for 22,000 yen (based on JR's own website). For cost efficiency, how much is a trip from Tokyo to Sendai and back per person if I want to take the Tohoku Shinkansen?
Are there major differences in price for the Hayate, Hayabusa, Yamabiko and Nasuno trains?
Would it be cheaper not to purchase the pass but buy individual tickets for the ride there and back and for trips on other JR Lines (Senseki Line and Ishinomaki Lines etc)

If I do purchase a JR East pass, which types of Shinkansen trains am I allowed to take? There are 4 that I have seen, and previously I was only able to take 1 or 2 as the other train types were excluded from the pass

Due to the tsunami in 2011, a lot of train transport from Sendai to Ishinomaki was disrupted. Is anyone able to advise:
Has the Senseki line been restored from Sendai to Ishinomaki?
Alternatively, has the Ishinomaki Line been re-established?
Are either lines covered by the JR East Pass?
If neither line is active, can you propose an alternative route from Sendai to Ishinomaki?

Thank you for taking the time to read my queries and respond to them.

Best regards,

John

Previously there was a 7 day pass for 28,000 yen which I purchased previously - now it is a 5 day pass for 22,000 yen (based on JR's own website).

The new pass is better and cheaper because it is 5 non-consecutive days to be used within two weeks.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_02.html

For cost efficiency, how much is a trip from Tokyo to Sendai and back per person if I want to take the Tohoku Shinkansen?

About 10500 yen each way. But its about 12000 all the way to Ishinomaki so a JR East Pass will definitely pay off. You'll save additional money if you use it to make some other trip within the JR East network.

Are there major differences in price for the Hayate, Hayabusa, Yamabiko and Nasuno trains?

No, you can look up fares on www.hyperdia.com

Would it be cheaper not to purchase the pass but buy individual tickets for the ride there and back and for trips on other JR Lines (Senseki Line and Ishinomaki Lines etc)

No

If I do purchase a JR East pass, which types of Shinkansen trains am I allowed to take?

You can make use of all trains on the Tohoku Shinkansen with the exception of the Nasuno and the Tsubasa because they don't go all the way to Sendai. More info on these pages:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_02.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2018_tohoku.html

Has the Senseki line been restored from Sendai to Ishinomaki?

No, but there are bus and train detours that you can utilize. See this page for more info:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5040.html#jump_access

Alternatively, has the Ishinomaki Line been re-established?

Part of it is still out between Ishinomaki and Onagawa but that is not relevant to your travel. Again, see the map on the above page.

Are either lines covered by the JR East Pass?

Both lines and the substitute buses are covered by the pass.

thank you! this has been really helpful!